Display-case



(No Model.) r

W. L. DEMPSEY.

DISPLAY CASE.

Patented July 16, 1895.

MTED STATES PATENT Orrrcs.

DISPLAY-GAS E.

$PECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Application filed April 23, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. DEMPSEY, of the city of New Franklin, Howard county, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Cases for Merchandise, of which the following is a full, clear, anduexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention has for its object the provision of improved means adapted to be employed in conjunction with shelving in a store, and serve to contain articles of merchandise and display samples of such merchandise within the vision of a prospective customer.

A further object of this invention is to be found in the provision of improved means to be employed in conjunction with a receptacle and adapted to display samples of merchandise, the bulk of which .is contained in said receptacle, which means are removable and separable from the receptacle for the purpose of rendering the scrutiny of the samples carried thereon more convenient to the customer.

This invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the door and sample-plate detached from the receptacle. V

In the construction of the device as shown the numeral designates the sides, 11 the bottom, and 12 the rear end portion of a receptacle adapted to be positioned between two shelves 13 14, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The forward end portion of each of the sides 10 of the receptacle is bent at 15 and carried laterally at right angles to the body portion, bent at 16 and carried forward parallel to the body portion, and bent at 17 and carried laterally at right angles to the body portion, and is provided with a wired edge 18, thus pro viding a flaring or enlarged mouth for the said receptacle, having a shoulder at the bends 15. A door is provided, comprising a sheet Patent No. 542,629, dated July 16, 1895.

Serial No. 508.572, (N0 model.)

metal or iron frame 19 having an aperture in the front thereof adapted to be glazed, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the glass or other transparent substance used in glazing being designated as 20.

The frame 19 is provided with shoulders 21 22 or laterally-projecting portions in vertical planes on opposite sides thereof, one of which shoulders or laterally-projecting portions is secured to one of the sides 10 of the recepta' cle by means of hinges 23 23, the remaining shoulder or laterally-projecting side portion being detachably connected to the forward end portion of the remaining side of the receptacle by means of a latch 24, the said shoulders closing against the shoulders of the side portions at the bends 15 15 when the door is closed, the said shoulders at the bends 15 15 providing a seat or stop for the said door in the enlarged mouth of the receptacle.

The frame 19 extends rearwardly inside of the receptacle from the front thereof a suitable distance and has integral slide-bearings or horizontal guideways 25 26 at the top and bottom, respectively, thereof, within which slide-bearings or guideways is remov'ably seated a display-plate 27. The forward surface of the display-plate 27 is adapted to be covered with plush or other ornamental material. The rear surface of saidremovable display-board is covered with blank paper for pricing said articles and other memoranda. Secured to said plate by means of fine wire, which passes through small perforations made in the plate before the cloth covering is put on, and resting upon the said ornamental sub stance, are sample articles of merchandise.

In Fig. 4, I have indicated, in dotted lines, a block positioned in a manner similarto the positioning of the door-lockin connection with this device, the constituent members of the lock and the key therefor being positioned upon the ornamental surface in a manner common in the displaying of such goods.

That portion of the receptacle in the rear of the display-plate 27 is adapted to contain the bulk of the goods, of which a sample is displayed upon said plate.

A drawer-pull 28 is fixed to the lower portion of the forward face of the receptacle door.

In the practical use of this invention, when a prospective customer expresses a desire to view a certain class of merchandise, he is shown to the shelves containing the receptacles in which said merchandise is contained and in the front of which samples of such merchandise are displayed. The prospective purchaser, viewing the samples through the glazed front of the receptacles,expresses a choice and is supplied from the bulk of merchandise contained in the receptacle. In the event of the prospective purchaser not being satisfied with the view obtained by him through the glazed front of the receptacle, the door is swung upon its hinges and the display-plate 27 removed from the slide-bearings 25 26 and positioned upon the counteror delivered to the hand of the prospective customer, from which point of vantage he can more readily and conveniently scrutinize the sample and satist'actorily'choose that which he would have. By this means dust,'dirt, and foreign substances are excluded from contact with the samples displayed on the plate 27, and at the same time such samples are'at all times visible from the exterior of the receptacle, therebypreventing the soiling, dampening, and consequent rusting of the same.

What I claim is In a display case, the metallic drawer hav-- ing the front end 10 of its vertical sides bent outwardly at right angles, thereby increasing laterally the-width of the front over the main body of said drawer and forming an enlarged mouth, the vertical door-frame 19 having a width exceeding that of said body and hinged at one edge to swing and close in said enlarged mouth, and provided with a glazed portion, in combination with a vertical display-plate 27 removably located in guide-ways 25, 26 carried by said door-frame, whereby said display-plate is supported bodily by said doorframe and removable bodily from the separate receptacle upon opening said door-frame, a latch for fastening the edge of said doorframe which is opposite said hinged edge, and

a handle for withdrawing the entire device from between two shelves, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. L. DEM'PSEY. Witnesses:

T. P. ALSOP, JOHN H. ALsoP. 

